PAKISTAN batsman Salman Butt is confident of playing again as the International Cricket Council prepares to examine spot-fixing allegations.
Butt and pace bowlers Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir were provisionally suspended by the ICC over the claims made during Pakistan’s tour of England.
Asif withdrew his appeal against his suspension last weekend.
But the appeal hearing into Butt and Amir’s ICC suspensions will be held in Doha tomorrow and Sunday.
Michael Beloff QC, the head of the ICC’s Code of Conduct Commission, will hear the appeal in the Qatari capital.
ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat explained earlier in October: “The appeals are against the provisional suspension only and will not consider the substantive charges that were laid against the players on September 2, 2010.”
Butt, who was Test captain during the tour of England, told Sky Sports: “I hope soon the allegations and suspension will be over and I will be eligible to play again for my country.
“I hope it (the chance to play for Pakistan) will come again one day, that’s something I can say.
“God has given me one chance and I am pretty sure he will give me another one.
“I am sure that these things come up in life and you have to stand up and take them,” he added.
The three players were also questioned by British police following allegations published in the News of the World newspaper at the end of August about the final Test against England at Lord’s.
It was claimed Asif and Amir deliberately bowled no-balls at pre-arranged times during the Test, with skipper Butt also said to be involved, in return for money from a bookmaker’s “middle man”.
Fellow seamer Wahab Riaz was also questioned by police, whose investigation – separate from the ICC Anti-Corruption and Security Unit’s (ACSU) own investigation – remains ongoing, although no criminal charges have yet been brought.
Although Asif withdrew his appeal against the provisional ban, he insists he is innocent of any wrongdoing
“I decided to withdraw the appeal against the suspension for now since we got the detailed documents relating to the case late from the ICC and my lawyers need more time to prepare for a detailed challenge,” he said. (BBC Sport)